


Sideline Stories: One Hour (Z)

by UnicornAffair



Series: Wild Pitch [27]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Ninja Storm, Power Rangers S.P.D.
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23683789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornAffair/pseuds/UnicornAffair
Summary: Z watched the blonde leave the room with a heavy heart, if anything she was drawn to Tori more...maybe this went beyond a silly little crush. For as free spirited as the surfer seemed, she knew exactly what being in a cage felt like.To be Read AFTER Chapter 27 of Wild Pitch
Relationships: Elizabeth Delgado/Tori Hanson
Series: Wild Pitch [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/852030
Comments: 19
Kudos: 46





	Sideline Stories: One Hour (Z)

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Wild Pitch Day, it's been three years and this universe has been going strong. I wanted today to be special so I've prepared 3 Prom related companion pieces to chapter 27 the first being one that has been highly requested....Tori and Z.
> 
> Enjoy!!

“Hey, can I borrow a pen?” 

It all started with a stupid crush on a blonde, pretty girl, that sat in front of her in algebra. 

“And maybe a piece of paper?” A sigh, “I brought the wrong notebook” 

“Sure” Z didn’t mind loaning her a damn thing, sitting behind Tori Hanson was the single most distracting thing. First of all, the seating chart was  _ dumb _ to put one of the tallest girls in  _ front _ of the shortest, but then she had to be all pretty...and chill...and inviting. Blue eyes, and that smile...fuck.

Z knew she liked girls for a long while now, the last real boyfriend she had was Zack Taylor and that didn’t last very long. His mom got sick and she put everything she had into playing soccer. It was a distraction for her, even if it was hard  _ not _ to think about pretty girls...some of her greatest role models in the sport were coming out as queer. Just like her. Only...she couldn’t  _ be _ out. Her family was close to the Garcia’s, the ones who kicked Antonio out to the curb and let him live with the Shiba’s until he graduated. 

It was bad news when Summer Landsdown transferred from St. John’s Private School to Angel Grove high. Mrs. Delgado wasn’t a fan of the girl from the start, and hated that the girl who was rumored to have a mental breakdown had taken over the team for her senior year. As such, Mrs. Delgado tried to limit her daughter’s interaction with her as much as she could. Summer Landsdown couldn’t visit their home, not for dinner, not for homework, and never for a sleepover. Even Syd was banned, the girl who was Z’s friend for  _ years _ because they would share a bed at the blondes for sleepovers. 

It wasn’t  _ safe _ for a girl like Z to come out...not in high school. Every day of being in that home it felt suffocating. 

Like it mattered, the girl she was crushing on had a boyfriend.

That’s all it would be...a harmless crush.

A distraction, just like soccer...a fantasy where Z could live the way she wanted to.

*****

In gym class one day the teacher allowed them to have a free day, a day where they could choose what they wanted to do. Tori approached Z, even in the navy gym shorts, Tori had legs for days. “Hey Delgado!” She motioned to the Bradley brothers underneath a basketball net, “Do you want to join us for a game?” 

Z glanced over and could see that Tori’s boyfriend Blake didn’t look very amused, he was too cool to play anything that  _ wasn’t _ his precious motocrossing. Gym class was forever beneath him. It was Hunter, his brother, who waved in their direction with a big smile. It was likely Blake lost out on a vote. “Only if I get to be on your team” 

Tori seemed surprised by Z’s terms but smiled all the same, “Boys vs girls, huh? I like your style”

Due to their heights, it was Tori who had to guard Hunter and Z was on Blake. For someone who didn’t seem to care about the game, Blake’s competitive drive kicked in...he didn’t want to lose to a couple of girls. Too bad for him, that was the favorite kind of person Z liked to show up. Z, like many kids in Angel Grove, had done enough recreation basketball as a way to try out multiple sports so she knew the basics of the game. How to dribble, how to shoot, how to pull off a pass without looking. Any sort of trick to get out and around from Blake. The dumber she made him look, the more irritated he came off. 

The best, and maybe this was mean, Z came up the line, faked a shot motion to make Blake jump, and turn around to watch for a rebound. Only she held onto the ball, making him move to give herself a clear unchallenged shot.

“Oh shit!” It was Hunter who was impressed, despite being on the other team, laughing his ass off because of all the people she made look like an idiot, it was  _ his brother.  _ “Respect” He offered his hand to Z to fistbump a gesture of respect in Tori’s gang of idiot skater boys.

Tori smiled in Z’s direction, a silent congratulations to her teammate. She scooped up the ball and handed it over to her boyfriend as some sort of peace offering, “Your ball” 

Z didn’t appreciate the way Blake scowled, tearing it from her hands. Sure he was pissed, but he didn’t need to be a little idiot. This was free time in gym class. No one was watching, this was supposed to be about fun. “It’s just a game” She narrowed her eyes, she wasn’t going to let him throw a tantrum. “Relax,  _ bro.”  _

Blake and Z stood at the top of court, he threw the ball at her with more force then needed. “Check”

So this was how it was going to be? Game on. “Check” She did a bounce pass back at him. When Blake tried to pass her with the ball, Z leaned in and was able to get a clean swipe from him, stealing the ball and throwing it to Tori at the edge of the court for an easy three points. 

“Damn girl” Tori came over to Z offering her hand for a high five, “I’m glad you’re on my team” Validation from her crush? This day could be written off as a win.

“Yeah, can we trade?” Hunter asked, getting the rebound, “Blake’s kinda garbage”

“Dude shut up” Blake motioned for Hunter to give him the ball to check it in again. He was lucky that they weren’t ‘officially keeping score’ because mentally, the competitive person in Z was and the girls were kicking ass.

This time, for his ego’s sake, Z let Blake get by her without too much friction. He clearly needed a win. Under the net, Tori was making sure Hunter was covered, that Blake didn’t have anyone to pass it to. When he went up for the shot, Tori took their height difference as an advantage and with one big power play she swatted the ball back down for a block. The basketball hit the wood so hard it made a solid noise that everyone heard. 

“Oooooh” Hunter couldn’t even be mad that it was against his team, “Hanson’s got hops” 

“Whatever, I’m done playing” Blake shook his head, he could  _ feel _ the rest of the students in gym class  _ watching _ him. The short guy just got blocked hard by his taller girlfriend. He was done feeling small. 

“Blake” Tori sighed, feeling guilty, she just wanted to play some basketball and take up the 50 minutes of class with something that was fun. “I’ll catch you later Delgado” With Tori going off after him, it left Hunter Bradley and Z Delgado standing around under the basketball hoop. Well, this wasn’t awkward at all.

The tall boy swallowed the lump in his throat, clearing the dead air between them, “So ah” Hunter rubbed the back of his neck, “You busy Friday?”

Z rolled her eyes, was he really taking this moment to ask her out on a date? “Not on your life, buddy” 

“Oookay loud and clear” The blonde dumbly nodded his head, taking the hint immediately, “Uh, good game...you were kickass” He didn’t have any hard feelings, the taller boy simply shrugged, “Sorry that Blake kinda ruined it” Not kinda. Did.

“Don’t apologize for him” Z shook her head, resting a hand on her hip, “He’s being a little bitch”

“He is, isn’t it?” The two could at least share a laugh about it…but something about Blake’s behavior didn’t sit well in Z’s stomach.

Later, in the locker room, Z was able to find Tori just as she was zipping up her jeans. “Hey, shame you’re not on the basketball team” She wanted to enter this conversation soft, leaning up against the locker and doing her best to try and read the blonde’s face. Was she okay? Or was she just  _ so good _ at covering up what was bottled inside? Z knew a thing or two about not letting things surface. “You’ve got skill”

“Ah I wanted to” Tori admitted with a bit of a sad smile, “But it’s a winter sport, Blake’s already pissed that I went for softball again this year and...that would just put a spotlight on me being tall” She shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing, though just talking about it seemed to bum her out, “It’s okay, I’m not gonna let it bring me down...I have softball, it’s not fair to him if I put  _ all _ my time into sports. Couples make compromises all the time”

That’s not…

Z tried her best not to pull a face, what the  _ fuck _ nonsense was that? “You know, he should be  _ supportive _ of things you wanna do”

“He is when it comes to surfing” Tori searched her backpack to pull out a card, “You should check out our youtube channel”

Z glanced over the card, Tori and her bunch of friends did X-Games, their handle  _ NinjaStormX.  _ They covered the elements with surfing and water, motocrossing and dirt biking with the earth, and got major air with skateboarding. Z knew that’s what they were famous for around the school, Cameron Watanabe did an amazing job trying to capture their talents to try and get them on the digital map. Blake would rather her put all of her focus in on their little channel then to play other sports she liked too. They  _ needed _ a draw like Tori...tall, modelesque, girl next door blonde who looked killer in a swimsuit. 

As Z was looking over the details of the card, Tori spoke again, “You were pretty good on that court too, what’s stopping you from joining the basketball team?”

“Money” Z couldn’t help but laugh, school sports weren’t cheap, she was fortunate that her parents  _ let _ her even do soccer. “And Danny’s in football, so that takes priority over everything” In the Delgado household her younger brother Danny was her parents pride and joy, the only son. 

“Ha...to think...we could’ve been on the same team if things were different” Tori  _ had _ to point that out didn’t she? “For the record I had a fun day, thanks for joining us”

“Yeah....of course…” Z watched the blonde leave the room with a heavy heart, if anything she was drawn to Tori more...maybe this went beyond a silly little crush. For as free spirited as the surfer seemed, she knew exactly what being in a cage felt like. 

*****

When that sophomore's photo circulated through the school, the big red letters reading out the word  _ dyke _ happened, it brought Z to a low place. She wasn’t Didi Gomez, whatever the hell her name was, but she sure looked a helluva lot like her. A latina girl being targeted by cheerleaders for being gay...it scared her to her core. It may not have been her but it sure felt like it was. Taking a day off from school with Summer and the soccer girls helped, the Landsdown estate had an outdoor pool, a hot tub even. As much as it provided for a distraction...Z couldn’t help the thoughts creeping into the back of her head...she didn’t fit the mold, she wasn’t safe, or welcome, here in Angel Grove. 

In order to cope through the hard days, after doing her school work, Z would go onto her best friend Sydney’s netflix account and try and follow her favorite storylines of her shows...anything she could cling to. These fictional characters were small beacons of hope, that she _could_ have a life after high school. Her mother stopped watching _Grey’s Anatomy_ all together when _Callie Torres_ identified as a bisexual. Late nights were spent watching old episodes of the _L-Word_ and _Orange is the New Black, Wentworth,_ and _Wynonna Earp._ Hell, she’d even watch episodes of _Glee_ for _Santana Lopez._ Anything to make her feel like she wasn’t so...alone.

It didn’t take long before she subscribed to  _ NinjaStormX _ Tori and her friends youtube channel. When the cameras were rolling, Blake and Tori looked like the perfect couple...in their element, so happy with one another. She skipped most of the videos that the boys were in, really all she wanted to do was watch the surfer. 

Out on the water, out by herself, Tori was in control...Z knew that balancing on a surfboard was one of the hardest things to do, but the blonde made it look effortless. Being in the water was where she belonged, where she excelled. It was incredible to see how she could do tricks, how she could go so high up in the air and land back down without faltering. The dorky tall girl who sat in front of her in algebra could pull off  _ this.  _ Z was completely in awe at Tori’s talents…clicking video to video felt seamless…

On chance, the soccer player glanced up to see her little brother standing in her doorway with a cheesy grin. Nearly scared the hell out of her, God, what did he want? Z took off her headphones and rolled her eyes, “Get the hell out  _ Daniel” _

“Mom wanted me to see if pizza was good for dinner tonight,  _ Elizabeth”  _ He added the extra sass when speaking her name. It was a way to make fun of their mother, despite wanting to go by nicknames Danny and Z would  _ always _ be addressed as their full names under this roof. Danny tilted his head, “You’ve been watching youtube for a longass time, you have the hots for one of the ninja boys?”

“Oh  _ bite me”  _ Z closed her laptop with purpose, she needed to change her youtube password  _ again.  _ Danny loved being a little techno wizard and log into her accounts to watch random videos and mess with her feed. Anywhere from  _ Barney  _ to  _ Five Nights at Freddy’s.  _ She  _ really _ needed to change her password to something harder than a soccer player on the US women’s team and their number, complete with an exclamation point. 

“Which one is it?” Danny teased, he didn’t realize she was  _ actually _ crushing on one of the members… “I bet it’s Shane isn’t it? Broad shoulders...the tattoos...”

“Sounds like _ you _ want to date him” A defensive Z shot back at her brother, standing up to try and push the football player out of her room, “I give you my blessing, now leave me alone!”

Danny chuckled, the bull of the Angel Grove Football team barely budged at his older sister’s insistence. “I’m just playin’! Do you want the pizza or not? Mom’s up my ass about dinner right now”

“From where?” 

“Zedd’s” Duh. As if there was anywhere else in Angel Grove that was worth getting pizza from. 

“Gah, shit!” It was then she slapped her brother's arm and quickly descended the stairs to try and reach her mother before she ordered  _ delivery.  _ “Pizza for dinner sounds good tonight, I can even go pick it up to save” Why have extra delivery fees and a tip when she could go pick it up. No ulterior motives at all…

All Mrs. Delgado heard was  _ save money _ and she was quick to jump on board, “I can set the table while you’re out then”

“Just ask Danny to do it,” Z shrugged, already at the door and putting her trusty combat boots on.

“Daniel’s busy with homework” Z couldn’t help but roll her eyes, she knew exactly what her little brother was up to...ugh. He and his best friend Max Cooper were always up to no good, especially now that they were getting into the making fake ID business. Ha, no, to Mrs. Delgado her baby boy could do no wrong.

“Fine, whatever” She dismissed it, she shouldn’t have even put stock in anymore. After what happened with Antonio Garcia, Mrs. Delgado wanted to coddle and make sure Danny got everything he wanted so he wouldn’t lash out at his parents...ugh. 

Just two more years of being in this house. Two years that felt like an eternity.

*****

Did Z run to do a pick up order at the place where her crush worked, just as an excuse to talk to her? Of course, not that she would ever admit it out loud. Being around Tori was like the sun breaking through a cloudy sky, for a couple of minutes of small talk Z felt something other than cold rain. However when she got there, it wasn’t the laid back blonde working the counter but instead it was her bubbly, curly haired, sunshine of a best friend Sydney Drew. 

“Hey” Syd greeted her with a million dollar smile, and normally, Z would be thrilled to see that she was working...but today, not so much. “I saw Delgado on the order and was sure to add some free cheesy bread, so you’re welcome” She winked, getting the order from the metal rack behind her. When she turned, Syd frowned, feeling Z’s energy immediately. “Not happy to see me?”

“It’s not that…” Really, she could never say no to Zedd’s infamous cheesy bread. 

“You were hoping to talk Tori” Syd could read Z like a book, god it was such a mistake to confide her crush in Sydney and Summer. “The girl you have a  _ mountain  _ sized crush on”

“Syd!” Z quickly stepped forward to take the pizzas from her, scolding her with a harsh glare. “Can you not?” Shit!

“Talk about Toooori?” She teased, leaning forward, she couldn’t help but giggle, “She’s not on the schedule for today, relax. I may be  _ dumb _ but I’m not  _ stupid”  _

“...You’re not dumb Syd” Z sighed, having to run a hand through her hair, relieved, “Jeez, will you  _ not?”  _ Even if  _ Tori  _ herself didn’t hear, what was stopping one of the delivery people from overhearing? Z’s  _ ex-boyfriend _ Zack Taylor worked here too.

“Look, I get she’s pretty to look at, like wow Sports Illustrated material but---trust me” Syd motioned to her Zedd’s pizza uniform. A polo, black work pants, and a baseball cap, “This isn’t screaming sexy. This is the universe doing you a favor” 

Z rolled her eyes, maybe her best friend had a bit of a point. “You know I always like a woman in uniform”

“You’re mocking me now”

“Definitely” Z smirked, going over to the drink cooler, “Can I have a couple of these?”

“Yeah, you’ll definitely have to pay for those” Syd folded her arms, she let her friend have some free cheesy bread but she wasn’t going to let more fly under the radar. “Speaking of uniform...I’ve got an idea for Tommy Oliver’s Halloween party”

“We’re not  _ seriously  _ going to that, are we?”

“Duh, of course we are” Syd rolled her eyes, as if going to a Tommy Oliver party was the obvious and Z was the dumb one of the soccer trio. “And trust me, we’re going to look  _ hot”  _

*****

Leave it to Sydney Drew to pull together three police uniforms for herself, Z and their other close friend Bridge Carson. He had fun twirling the fake plastic police baton. Syd was sure to make sure her uniform had the shortest skirt possible. As far as accessories went, Syd attached a pair of handcuffs to Z’s belt as well as gave her a pair of aviators, despite the party being inside. For the final touch she started to undo Z’s top buttons to ‘let her boobs breathe a little’, tasteful cleavage. 

Sexy police officer wasn’t something on the top of Z’s Halloween costume list, she’d rather do something  _ scary.  _ A female  _ Freddy _ from Nightmare on Elm Street would be her  _ dream _ costume if the face make up wasn’t a pain in the ass. Though as she looked at herself in the full length mirror she had to admit...something clicked right with this look. Outside of the boobabge she looked tough, and had some sort of authority...something severely lacking in her life.

Partying was frowned upon in the Delgado household, but seeing as a Tommy Oliver party was the coolest place to be in town. A year ago, when Danny wanted to start hanging out with the football guys, he and Z had come up with a fake church group that they would use as an excuse, an elaborate lie to get their mom off of their backs. Danny would create fliers on his computer, and the two would come up with fun stories, working off of one another for the greater good….their social life. Was it moral? No, at this point it was about surviving high school. The more time spent away from home...the easier this was going to be for the Delgado kids. 

Maybe one year they would laugh at all of this…

A Tommy Oliver party always consisted of the best booze, from the cheapy shit to a sampling of Thomas Oliver’s  _ good stuff.  _ Even when they got there the place was lit with energy and excitement. A circle for truth or dare going in one area, another room was spaced out for dancing, and there was a third area for people to just chill and hang out with one another, oh and of course the kids hooking up on the second floor. He always had a way to bring people together, money---and an amazing house for this all to take place.

For Bridge, Sydney and Z they stuck on the dancing side of the party, a solo cup in hand to lose themselves in a night of fun, underage drinking, and dancing to the beat. That was until Z’s phone binged…

Summer Landsdown  
  
Hanson’s playing truth or dare if you’re interested ;)  


Between her two best friends, they were nothing but instigators in trying to get Z to spend more time with her crush. Ugh, fucking Summer, and fucking Syd. 

“What’s up?” Syd tilted her head to the side, “You have think face”

Bridge had  _ far _ too big of a mouth, so Z simply handed her best friend her phone. The blonde’s eyes widened, Z could swear she heard the lightbulb ding in Sydney’s head, “Oh ho ho! We  _ so _ have to play!” As Z was drinking out of her solo cup, Syd rested her hand on it’s base, “Drink up honey badger”

Z was encouraged to finish what drink was in her hand, and she did it like a champ, “I am not drunk enough for whatever” She motioned to Syd, “This is”

“You coming with?” Syd glanced over to their third friend, Bridge, the one on the baseball team.

“Mmm I’m gonna pass on the social trap game” Bridge couldn’t help but laugh, he waved over to Antonio and other members of the GSA, “I’ll catch up with you later. I’m gonna get my dance on.”

“For the best” Z patted her childhood friend’s shoulder, “We really don’t want to be seen around  _ that”  _ It was a simple fact, as confident as Bridge was in his own skin...he was  _ not _ a dancer by any means and mostly looked like that awkward uncle at a wedding trying to fit in. 

“Catch you later Bridge” Syd grabbed Z’s arm with purpose and headed over to the truth or dare circle. 

Truth or dare with a bunch of teenagers could go from bizarre dares to the overtly sexual ones. Saying  _ truth _ didn’t necessarily mean playing it safe, Z knew to avoid that at all costs. Tori  _ couldn’t _ know how she felt... _ not like this.  _ Apparently they had missed a lot before even sitting down in the circle. Zack had to take a body shot off of Amanda Clark’s chest, her little brother Danny had to kiss his best friend Max on the lips, Tommy Oliver did a strip tease, and danced on a table to one of  _ Britney Spears _ classics. People would rather put their bodies out there, and have a little silly risk over revealing any of their secrets. 

“Soooo Tori” Syd was given the floor, since she and Z were the most recent ones to come into the circle, “Truth or Dare?” Z could feel the nerves starting to bubble up in her chest, what the fuck was Syd going to  _ ask _ to  _ dare?  _ This was  _ too _ dangerous of a game to play. Z didn’t even have a drink to distract her with...nothing to treat the rising anticipation. 

Blake snaked his arm around his girlfriend’s waist, a silent reminder that this game opens up the possibility of kissing other people, namely...someone thinking it’s funny to have Tori kiss his  _ brother _ Hunter, just to get a rise out of him. 

“Truth” Tori was as steady as they came, she didn’t want to make waves.

“Have you ever kissed a girl….and if so, would it be something you would want to do again?” She tilted her head to the side, sweet as apple pie, Syd went for the jugular. Despite Blake being around, the answer to this question was something that could give Z a sliver of hope.

“Oh” 

Z already knew the answer to this question...when the NinjastormX crew wanted to get fake IDs from her idiot brother Danny he promised a discount if Tori would kiss fellow softball player Gia Moran. It was a secret that wasn’t going to leave that basement, per Gia’s insistence, and while Z considered herself to be tough...that was a girl she didn’t want to be on her bad side. Lucky bitch, what Z would give to share one kiss with the girl she had a crush on...even if it never went anywhere, just to say that she experienced that moment.

Tori could feel the watchful eyes of her guy friends in the circle, “Yes, but I won’t say who” That peaked the interest of those not in the room that night, even Syd seemed surprised to hear her coworker say that. “...And no I wouldn’t be opposed to doing it again” Lacing her sentence with double negatives to try and mix up the buzzed teenagers around her...but Z got the memo loud and clear.  _ She’d do it again.  _

“Ha...she’s kidding” Blake picked up on it, shaking his head, the boy reeked of insecurity. 

“It’s just a kiss...” She rested her hand on Blake’s thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, “No big deal”

“Yeah, girl on girl is hot” Max chimed in. He and Danny’s MO was to get two girls to kiss any scevish way they could. They had done it to Amanda and Kimberly Hart, and even Tori and Gia...it’d be impressive if it wasn’t so juvenile. Idiots. 

“Ahhh why don’t we continue on with the game?” Zack Taylor was the one to chime in, his best friend being the girl in the photo...he wasn’t about to let this conversation delve in deeper. Not when there were so many immature dudes around. “Tori it’s your turn”

The game continued to bounce around from player to player, most of the game was simply  _ watching _ things unfold. Sydney most of the time was looking at her phone, probably texting Summer a live reaction to everything that was happening. Dustin Brooks had to take a teaspoon of cinnamon, Rocky DeSantos had to share one of his wet dreams---one that involved Aisha Campbell and a classroom setting. Jake Holling was dared to go out onto the dance floor and try and pants his baseball teammate Bridge, only to fail miserably. These police costumes came with a belt so Jake just looked like an idiot to the amusement of everyone else. 

Finally it was Hunter Bradley’s turn, he turned his attention to Z, the girl he tried to ask out on a date after their little two on two basketball game. “Truth or dare Z?”

Shit. She couldn’t go with the truth option, she swore to herself that she was going to be closed off. After what happened to Trini Gomez...she had a secret to keep, and bind shut. “Dare” Her lips were sealed, and all she could do was pray...her fate was in this dope’s hands. 

“I” He rubbed his chin in thought, looking up to the ceiling, “Dare you to sit in Tori’s lap for the rest of the game”

“What the fuck kinda dare is that?” Blake leaned over to get a good glare in at his brother. Every time Blake would get irritated, Hunter would find the humor in it. Without fail, Hunter could get a rise out of his brother, making him look like a pissbaby. 

“You’re welcome” Syd whispered, shaking her phone, revealing to Z that she had been texting Hunter this entire time for an opportunity to ‘make Blake upset’. 

When Z wanted to get closer to Tori this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, being a trooper though she got up and crossed the circle so she could sit on her crushes lap. As someone who never  _ dated _ anyone past middle school, Z didn’t have the prime example of  _ sitting _ on another human being. She became very aware of how much weight she was putting onto the other girl’s lap, “You good?”

“Yeah, you’re fine” Tori reassured her, she casually rested an arm across Z’s legs, she didn’t seem bothered by being this close, like out on the water, Tori was completely in her element. When it came to a co-ed game of truth or dare, it was almost expected that the guys would try to make the girls get as close as possible. “Better you than Danny” She laughed, she’d rather have the slim soccer player than the bulky football player in her lap. 

Z did everything she could not to make eye contact with Tori, or try to make this awkward in any sort of way, as in...opening her mouth and speaking to her crush. With the game going on around them, it was easier to appear like she was paying attention to that. Ugh why did she have to be a sexy cop right now? Tori was currently wearing khaki shorts, a yellow helmet, and a blue barracuda t-shirt from the 90’s Nickelodeon game show  _ Legends of the Hidden Temple.  _ Even in a Halloween costume, Tori smelled like an ocean breeze…

Truth or dare was inevitably ruined by senior Noah Carver getting up and shoving Briarwood’s Rocky DeSantos for making an  _ easy Emma  _ comment. Jake Holling of the baseball team had to pop up between them in order to stop it from escalating. Fights were never cute at parties and now the game had to be broken up. Z’s time in Tori’s lap was short lived…

Now the game was over, Tori and her guys decided to go outside and ‘hang out’. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that some of the skater kids smoked pot, Dustin and Hunter were ready to blaze up. Instead of grabbing another drink, Z made the choice to grab a couple of waters, one for her and one for Syd. Tommy Oliver parties could get wild and if the  _ actual _ police came, she wanted to be alert. If her mom found out about this...woof. 

“Where’s Summer, anyway?” Z asked, anything to keep Syd from talking about Tori. There were too many ears around them...rumors spread like wildfire in a small town like Angel Grove. 

“I think she’s with whatsherface” Syd snapped her fingers, trying to remember the girl in the senior class, “Aisha Campbell”

“Hmm” Z took a sip of her water, “I didn’t realize they were friends”

“Oh I know, right? For being named Summer, she’s not exactly warm and sunny” Syd laughed, quick to drag her friend. She wasn’t wrong. Z and Syd spent almost their entire sophomore year trying to be friends with the new girl as she transitioned from private school to public. The ugly rumor that Summer had a mental breakdown loomed over her head.

The two soccer players found a spot on the couch to sit back and watch the party from a safe distance. Putting this many hormones in one house was a mixture for some bad decisions and some drama. Zack Taylor and Amanda Clark came to this party as _friends,_ but _friends_ don’t make out like _that._ Mike Fernandez held Emily Ava’s hand and led her up the stairs to the second floor for some more privacy...everyone knew what that meant. Glancing in the kitchen, Z couldn’t help but roll her eyes when she saw her little idiot brother and his idiot friend Max trying to smooth talk Rose Ortiz and Ronny Robinson, some of her friends from the soccer team. Her mother would be over the _moon_ if Danny brought home the hardworking, straight A student, perfect daughter in the making _Rose Ortiz_ over as his date.

Carlos Vallerte, one of the hot shots of the baseball team, approached Syd and Z on the couch, a green solo cup in his hand. Like Tommy Oliver, the boy needed a haircut. “Ladies” He plopped down between them without much of a hassle. When he swung for the fences, he swung hard, his arm draped back around Syd’s shoulders since she was the  _ nice  _ one...his attention focused on Z. “I’ve got a proposal for you”

“If it’s for a threesome you can fuck off” Z narrowed her eyes, with the mayor’s son as their team captain, the baseball team could walk around the halls of Angel Grove like kings in their palace. 

“Ay, you think I’d lead with that?” He leaned forward to set his cup down on the coffee table, freeing up his second hand to rest on Z’s knee. “No, I wanted to talk to you about our moms trying to set us up”

“You’re kidding”

“I wish I was” He sighed, he didn’t have a girlfriend...and all Mrs. Delgado wanted out of Z was to get a boyfriend and start a family. Of  _ course _ she went snooping around to see which of her friends had  _ single  _ sons.  _ Garcia _ was a disgrace,  _ Fernandez _ was wrapped up with a girlfriend of his own, so of  _ course  _ she settled with her third choice in  _ Vallerte.  _ “Look I think you’re great-”

“You don’t have to let me down easy” Z huffed out a sigh. She had known Carlos Vallerte all of her life, they went through Sunday School, PSR, had their first communion and confirmation together. “Gah of  _ course _ she’d try and pull something like this”

“Hey, hey, if you were actually into me I’d be happy to be your guy” Carlos didn’t want Z because of their mothers meddling in their lives, “You’re a catch Delgado”

“It’s true, you’re super hot” Syd always had a hard time keeping her mouth shut, so of course she had to pop in her two cents. 

Z was hyper aware at how much cleavage she was currently sporting in this sexy outfit, she tried to subtly button up. “You said you had a proposal.” 

“Be my “girlfriend” for a couple of weeks?” Carlos suggested, “Enough to make our moms happy and then we break up, it wasn’t going to work out, but we can say we tried”

Syd thought she was being a helpful best friend when she asked, “So when you say “girlfriend” does that mean you two have to make out n’have sex and boyfriend girlfriend things?”

“Um….” That blunt of a question caught the baseball player off guard, Z tilted her head, her interest perked, “If that happens along the way…?” 

Typical guy. As if that was going to happen. Z sighed, rubbing her forehead, “Can I think about it?”

“What’s there to think about?” Syd asked, clearly neither of them wanted to date each other.

“It’s complicated, alright?” Z didn’t mean to snap at Syd, but her parents weren’t  _ like _ the  _ Delgados.  _ Appeasing her mom and dating a boy for a couple of weeks could ease up a lot of the tension in the house, it would stop the harping of dressing nicer, of trying to attract a boy---a potential husband. Danny could be whatever he wanted, but Z? As much as she’d love a perfect world where she could ask Tori out on a date, that wasn’t the hand she was dealt. Self preservation had to come first. “Let me think about it” She repeated...this wasn’t a bad offer. Carlos could be a bit hard headed and over competitive but a good guy overall.

Z loved her parents, she truly did, and when they weren't talking about specific subjects they were  _ fun _ to be around. Z didn’t want to ruin all of the  _ good _ she had in her life. Ugh, why did she  _ have _ to be gay? Why did Tori Hanson sit in front of her in class, and smell like a damn beach vacation? 

He leaned forward to grab his beer, laughing a little to himself to try and ease the tension, “Sooo can we go back to that threesome?”

“With  _ you,  _ definitely not” Syd shook her head, she finished off her water and laughed, “I gotta go break the seal” The bubbly blonde waved to the potential fake couple and headed towards the nearest bathroom.

Carlos blinked, taking in what the blonde had heavily implied, “Wait…” If not him… _ what?  _ He did not understand Syd’s humor, she loved pulling a guys leg.

“Nope, this is not a thing” Z wanted to squash that bug as quickly as possible. “Look, I’ll catch you later, give you an answer then” Right now all Z wanted was some fresh air, away from this party, and away from the loud music, at this rate she was going to get a damn headache. Syd would be fine, Rose and Ronny were here and Bridge was easy to spot in a line up.

The nicest thing about Tommy Oliver’s house was that it was right on the lake shore. Nature surrounded by the mountains of Angel Grove was so serene, so calming compared to the house full of teenagers, alcohol and music. Dustin and Hunter were blazing up front, Cameron and Shane were drinking around them...no Tori or Blake in sight. Z spotted her team captain and the softball pitcher laying in a hammock, deep in a conversation, a world away from everyone else. If Z didn’t know better she swore she saw seniors Gia Moran and Emma Goodall with one another as well. 

Z found the Oliver’s canoe on the dirt and decided that would be the best place to sit and gather her thoughts. What would she compromise if she pretended to date Carlos Vallerte? It sounded like the  _ perfect _ arrangement to make everyone happy...everyone happy but her. Z wasn’t a great actress, how could she pretend to like someone she wasn’t attracted to? To his friends? To her family? This wasn’t as simple as holding hands and frollicing through the tulips, all la de da. People could get hurt…

“Delgado?” It was Tori Hanson’s voice that snapped Z out of her train of thought. The junior soccer player turned to see her classmate holding a blue solo cup in her hand, even in the dark she could tell that the blonde’s eyes were red...she had been crying. “What’re you doing out here? Parties inside”

“I’m a little partied out” She couldn’t go anywhere until Danny was ready to leave, the two of them were here on a lie after all. “You okay?”

“Ha, I’ll be fine” Tori tipped her cup in Z’s direction, “Not so pathetic if I drink alone”

“That’s true…” The soccer player trailed off, motioning to the free spot in the canoe, “Want to join me?”

It took a little bit for Tori to get into the small boat, but she found herself right at home by the lake, “Sorry, I look like shit”

“You don’t…” Even after crying, sitting under the moonlight, Z didn’t think anything less of her. “What the hell happened?” Who could make  _ Tori Hanson _ cry?

“Blake and I got into a fight” Tori admitted, shrugging, staring down her glass, “He’s not a big fan of Zack, I thought he would’ve been a great addition to the NinjaStormX crew...”

“........Oh” Jealousy was an ugly green monster, and it had taken over Blake’s body. He didn’t like Tori calling  _ another _ guy as her work husband or how highly she praised him. “...That’s...not cool you know”

“I know” Tori closed her eyes, “I know. It’s just now that our youtube channel is gaining some traction he’s starting to let comments get to him...I try to tell him that it’s no big deal…”

“What kind of comments?” Z frowned, it was amazing what people would say behind a veil of anonymity.

“You know how creeps can be…” That was all that needed to be said. Blake was now dealing with thirsty comments all over  _ his  _ girlfriend, “He’s gotten pretty protective, it’s really hit his self esteem...but” Another sip of her drink and a sigh, “He just has to adjust” 

“Mmm” The soccer player wasn’t so convinced that all he needed was a simple  _ attitude adjustment,  _ “Was he always so...jumpy?”

“No” Tori shook her head, “Maybe at first when he and his brother transferred in here freshman year” She started to rub the back of her neck, “It’s just Blake, was different than the other guys I was around he saw me for what I was...a  _ girl,  _ not just one of the guys...if that makes sense” Tori blinked, “I’m a little messed up right now”

“I get it” Tori was the tomboy growing up, until softball she didn’t have many female friends, just stuck in the role of the token girl in a group of guys. She was one of their tribe, a sister, someone who they didn’t see as  _ hot _ or  _ dateable.  _ Blake was an outsider coming in...he could see Tori for more than just the girl next door. 

“Want some?” Tori offered the drink...after all, it was sad to drink alone.

Z had a hard time saying no to her crush, even if she didn’t totally want to take a swig, she wasn’t going to turn down the offer. If she drank more, it meant Tori would drink less. “Carlos Vallerte asked me out” She didn’t even know  _ why _ she was divulging that information...to the girl she had feelings for of all people. Freaking Summer  _ had _ to be in a hammock right now.

“Oh?” Tori knew the baseball boy well. The softball team and baseball team went hand in hand, the fraternity to the softball team’s sorority. “What’d you say?”

Z extended one of her arms out of the side of the boat, “I’m here with  _ you _ right now, what does that say?” 

What  _ did  _ that say?...As much as she’d love the  _ idea _ of being with a boy to make life easier...that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted the girl who was already in a relationship…

“That boys are dumb” Tori laughed, coming to that buzz filled conclusion, “But for real, you shouldn’t have to  _ feel _ like you have to say yes for the sake of saying yes or hurting his feelings or whatever…” Tori visually looked like she was lost in her own slew of words, the blonde waved it off, “What do  _ you _ want?”

_ You.  _

_ That was the problem… _

“Right now...not to feel so damn alone…”

“Ah, ah” Tori waved a finger, “You’re not alone, not with me here” The blonde sat down next to her in the canoe, patting Z’s knee, “Let’s stay here till the storm blows over”

_ Together.  _

_ But not... _

*****

A Tommy Oliver party was the perfect excuse to  _ mix things up  _ or to talk to someone outside of the normal day to day. After Halloween the weeks felt as if they were going by quicker, soon it would be Thanksgiving break followed by winter break. Z decided that it was best if she didn’t take Carlos up on that offer of fake dating, she couldn’t put herself through that...she’d rather be  _ alone _ than pulling a curtain over her friends and families eyes. Sitting behind Tori in class and lending her a pen every now and again would have to suffice, for now. 

“So” Z had been sitting at lunch, having a sandwich with her two best friends, “Tori tells me she’s teaching cooking classes at the rec center…”

Summer and Syd exchanged a glance with one another...they knew where this was going.

“You couldn’t  _ pay _ me to take a  _ cooking class”  _ Summer was quick to shoot that down, when it came to  _ cooking _ or  _ making _ her own food, Summer was in a position where she could simply pay for someone else to do it. 

“Even if Aisha Campbell asked you?” Syd teased, nudging Summer’s arm. Z and Syd didn’t  _ know _ what was going on between the soccer captain and the softball pitcher...only that the pair seemed  _ awfully _ close. 

“Mm” Summer took the moment to glare at the fellow blonde, “A cooking class seems like, well...something you do for a  _ date” _

“Ugh if only it were candle making, I would  _ totally _ do candle making with you” Syd batted her baby blues in Summer’s direction, a hint for Miss Moneybags to take her friends or soccer team on a candle making session. “I don’t want to spend my free time  _ cooking. _ I make pizzas  _ all the time”  _

Summer tapped the lunch table, her eyes narrowing in thought, “Hanson doesn’t seem to be the Betty Crocker type”

Syd’s lips pulled into a frown, “Isn’t Betty Crocker a type of...grill? Like the ones you put inside and you” She made a closing motion with her hands, followed by a makeshift sizzle noise.

“No, no...for once Summer’s right on her “simple people” reference” Z teased, “You’re thinking of a George Foreman” To answer Summer’s question, Z relaxed a bit more, “Tori’s got a lotta layers, people only choose to take her at face value” Even after all this time, Z’s stupid crush only seemed to get stronger...and the surfer  _ still _ had a boyfriend.

“Totally an  _ iceberg”  _ Syd compared her Zedd’s shift manager to  _ that.  _ When Summer and Z simply gave her a  _ look _ she knew that it was better to keep explaining her odd train of thought, “Like you only see a little itty bitty bit, and then under the surface it’s like  _ whoa huge,  _ duh, don’t you pay attention to science?” Summer and Z cracked a smile, trying hard not to laugh...Syd really did try, “Or like, the  _ Titanic?” _

These two assholes weren’t going to be much help. Z was going to have to resort to asking someone else…

*****

Convincing her younger brother Danny to go along with her wasn’t a hard sell at all. He worked at a department store and now that football season was over, wanted something else to do with his time. His mother was very traditional, the women were the homemakers and if he didn’t go out of his way to learn  _ how _ to cook, she sure as hell wasn’t going to teach him. Men cooking was a good skill to have...Z didn’t want him to end up just like another useless man. All she had to say was that a girl loved a man that could cook a meal for her. 

Tori appreciated the support from her classmate. Z and Danny were the only ones taking this night class from Angel Grove High, most of the people in here were young twenty-somethings trying to get by on their own for the first time. No sign of Blake anywhere, except some days he would wait for her in the parking lot with a burrito from chipotle. How romantic?

After enduring the holidays of family, and  _ more _ family alike. Z was ready to get back into the groove of school. While winter break was fun, she missed the little things. Lunch with Summer and Syd...not being able to see very well passed Tori’s head in math class, gym with Tori...this damn crush was still going strong. Z had to settle for being near Tori as enough.

Kimberly Hart, the most popular girl of the sophomore class had come out as bisexual, dating the latina girl from the photo. It didn’t end there. The softball team was leading the charge in  _ change _ and  _ acceptance _ in Angel Grove.  _ Gia and Emma _ had come out as a couple not too long after that...and then freaking  _ Summer Landsdown _ had to make a scene at the softball fundraiser to make a play at  _ Aisha Campbell.  _

What Z would  _ give _ to be brave like them…

The backhanded comments only got  _ worse _ at home. Danny and Z had to convince her mother  _ not _ to transfer them to St. John's private school to protect them. Z couldn’t throw her senior year away starting somewhere new, she was just voted in as soccer team captain when Summer graduates at the end of the year. Danny was too involved in making his fake IDs, his popularity among the football team had  _ spiked.  _ There was no way they were going to transfer...going to a school like  _ that _ was way out of their price range. 

_ “I thought the Hart’s were a different kind of family.” _

_ “Emma Goodall is such a sweet girl, surely she could find a boy.” _

_ “I always knew Summer Landsdown was nothing but trouble. I don’t want you to talk to her anymore. She’s nothing but a bad influence. What an embarrassment, her poor parents.” _

_ “You better clean up your act Elizabeth, you dress too much like that Gomez girl. I won’t have that under my roof”  _

When  _ Jason Scott _ returning quarterback of the football team came out as bi...ooh. That was far too close to her son for her liking. Danny didn’t have to say much to prove that he liked girls, most of the posters on his wall were of ladies in swimsuits. She had  _ one _ straight kid she could be proud of...

Soon Mrs. Delgado would buy new clothes for her daughter to  _ not look so gay.  _ She was worried that something was in the water in Angel Grove, that gayness was some kind of fever taking over. Those kids were falling into it because it was the  _ cool thing to do.  _ When it was just a small niche group...Antonio, Lauren, Mia, Jayden, and Kevin it wasn’t such a big deal...but now big names were coming out. This wasn’t an anomaly. Mr. Delgado spent more time with the Garcia’s, grabbing a drink with Antonio’s father...the two had become far too chummy for Z’s comfort.

Z of course, would sneak clothes into her backpack to change when she got to school. No way was she going to compromise the way she dressed. Not when she was compromising the biggest thing about herself. 

News of Tori and Blake breaking up had traveled through the junior class quickly. It was a shock to anyone who didn’t really  _ know _ them. To Z it was about damn time, but from the outside looking in...Blake and Tori were the perfect couple. Their youtube channel wasn’t the same ever since...with the relationship disintegrating, Tori took herself out of the equation.  _ NinjastormX  _ could never be the same without their surfer. 

Z wanted to reach out, but she didn’t know  _ how to.  _ She and Tori were acquaintances, sure, they would make small talk to pass the time before the bell rang. Tori would always ask for a pen and paper on days where she forgets...but they weren’t friends. Not like that. Hell  _ Sydney _ was closer to Tori just because of where they worked. Tori was finally  _ single _ but lately she felt like a shell, a piece of her spark was missing...Blake had taken so much from her. 

One night at Rock Porium, Z had seen Tori’s depression at its ugliness. She resorted to drinking and kissing a stranger to try and fill the void of  _ something _ in her life. Z couldn’t make a move on her...not now, even if she wanted to risk it all. She didn’t have the heart to try and crowd the other girl...she wasn’t ready for a relationship. For that matter neither was Z. Not when tensions were rising in the Delgado house. Mrs. Gomez was starting to get under her mother’s skin now that they were both working at City Hall. 

For now all Z could do was  _ be _ there for Tori. To hold her hair back when she puked out her guts, to always making sure she carried an extra pen. What she needed was a  _ friend _ not a  _ girlfriend.  _

Weeks later, Angel Grove had been taken by storm.  _ Prom Fever,  _ and the controversy surrounding the PTA refusing tickets to Lauren, Gia and Summer. Z could feel the heat of kids judging  _ her _ for her mother’s actions. Did they think she  _ agreed _ with that? It made her sick knowing that it was a  _ Delgado _ that sparked the  _ revolution  _ of  _ pride prom.  _ What made matters  _ worse _ was that....a lot of the PTA took her mother’s side. A whole group of people were so against what Trini and GSA stood for. Why was this such a big deal? It sucked that her family was on the wrong side of history...

“Sooooooo” Syd was never gracious when she delivered news, sitting at the lunch table she was practically beaming, “I was asked to prom”

“Bridge doesn’t count” Z rolled her eyes, Bridge was their close guy friend...a  _ friend.  _ There was  _ no  _ attraction between him and Syd. Maybe she was overly  _ bitter _ about the situation she was currently in. She was sick of the sad eyes she would get from the people who  _ knew _ her secret, the soccer girls always carried themselves with that  _ I’m sorry _ smile. 

“Tommy Oliver” Sydney knew she had something  _ good _ to bring to the table, her smile was wide, her eyebrows rose. 

“...You’re kidding?” Summer bit her lip, “I don’t know how to tactfully say this but…”

“He sucks” Z finished with a simple curt nod of her head. Summer gestured in her friend’s direction as she said it best.

“I think he’s just super misunderstood. Besides” Syd rolled her eyes, she should’ve known her friends wouldn’t be so excited about the idea. “He’s unpredictable and I  _ like that.  _ I’m so  _ bored _ anymore...Summer’s all in love with Aisha, it’s disgustingly cute and you’re...we’re…” Syd sighed, she and Z weren’t  _ allowed _ to be around each other outside of school anymore. “It’s not like I agreed to marry him, I think it’ll be a good time” She bit her lip,“Which um...brings me to some bad news…”

Summer frowned,  _ concerned, _ “You going to a  _ gay _ prom with Tommy Oliver wasn’t the bad news?”

Syd smiled sympathetically and nodded her head in the most unsubtle way to the GSA table, Z turned around just in time to see Antonio and Tori kiss. Antonio.  _ Antonio Garcia and Tori Hanson.  _

That was enough of a gut punch to lose her appetite immediately. 

“Fuck it” Z grabbed her bag, she couldn’t be  _ around _ this anymore. Her whole life felt like it was an enclosing box, getting tighter and tighter with each move. Watching Tori’s ups and downs with Blake was one thing, but she couldn’t sit back and  _ watch _ as she moved on with  _ another _ guy. “Just fuck  _ everything  _ right now” She wanted to be happy for Summer, for Sydney but it was  _ real _ hard to put that smile on her face when she couldn’t  _ budge.  _

*****

Z knew that staying in the closet was the safest option for her. It sucked, but she could deal with it. 

Watching other girls come out and be themselves...it wasn’t easy. Especially when one was one of her best friends. 

Going to the mall, watching Summer and Syd try on prom dresses. That wasn’t easy. 

Of course she  _ wanted _ to come out, to be like everyone else, to have  _ gay prom _ like the other queer kids but she had to think of herself first. 

There was no telling if Mrs. Delgado would become the next June Gomez...or the next Garcias. 

Z was looking forward to moving to a big city, trying to make it anywhere but here. Somewhere where she’d see her family in person once a year, maybe every other year if plane tickets were expensive enough. 

One day she’d have her freedom to date whoever she wanted…maybe Tori going out with Antonio was a blessing, a sign that Z should just get over her stupid crush.

Off in the distance, could see the firefly lights on Griffin’s Farm from her bedroom. Gomez and the gang were able to pull this shit show together and give the seniors a prom they deserved. As much as Z hated dressing up and  _ that _ scene...it felt like she didn’t even have the choice to  _ not _ go. 

Z had turned off her phone, shut off her computer and refused to look at any sort of social media. Surely everyone was taking pictures of their dresses, their dates, the prom, artistic instagram updates. Z was surely going to get flooded with text messages from when Summer and Syd were having their down time, checking in on her, telling her everything she was missing…

Mentally, Z couldn’t bring herself to even pick up her phone. She couldn’t do her homework, and she found it hard to focus on the tv in her room. Staring at the ceiling, wishing she could be in Trini Gomez’s shoes for a day...wishing she had the courage to  _ say _ what she wanted to say to Tori. The world was changing, but not fast enough.

A knock at the door. Ugh. 

“I’m doing homework!” She lied, anything to get her mother or father off of her back. 

Z sat up to see that the shadow under her door didn’t budge, “I’m fine!” She didn’t need a snack, she didn’t need to be the one her mother vented to about the GSA pulling the rug from under her. Z would be a senior next year, it would be her turn to be faced with a dance… 

“It’s me” Danny, he wasn’t allowed to leave the house either. “I’m going to watch  _ Saving Private Ryan _ with mom and dad” War movies were always Mr. Delgado’s favorites, “Did you wanna join us? I’m going to make popcorn...”

Z stood up and went to the door, she’d have to tell him off face to face if he was going to be insistent. “I’m not really up for a movie”

“Homework, huh? Well I just installed the _surround sound_ and I was hoping to take advantage of that tonight. I hope it won’t be _too_ _loud_ for you to do your _homework”_

“...Why are you talking stupid?”

Danny’s brows rose, he was  _ trying _ to speak code but it wasn’t working very well, instead he lowered his voice, “I know”

Z shook her head, frowning, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” 

“You didn’t sign us up to take cooking classes for  _ me”  _ He caught his sisters eyes, “No one gets you that flustered” Danny glanced down to his feet, “I won’t tell, but I know. Max is parked outside if you wanted to go...I can buy you a couple of hours...the first scene alone is jam packed with action. They won’t hear the door”

“I don’t…” She didn’t know what to say, was her crush on Tori that obvious? Z ran a hand through her hair, “I don’t have a dress or…”

“Who cares? Go in that...it’s a  _ farm prom.”  _ He shrugged his shoulders, “Don’t miss out on  _ anything.  _ We only live once right?”

If her mother found out she was even  _ thinking _ about going to the anti-prom she could be grounded for who knows how long. Maybe even figure out a way to transfer her to another school. There was a lot at risk this night, but what did she have to lose? She was miserable…

Take the chance.

Ask the girl to dance.

_ Live outside of a cage.  _

Z hugged her brother tightly, he didn’t have to do any of this for her, maybe he wasn’t such a bullhead after all. “I owe you” 

“You sure do” He chuckled patting her back, “Can’t wait to hear all about it...go get your girl”

*****

For once in her life, she wasn’t nervous. This was the moment she was waiting for, a chance to step out into the light. This Cinderella was going to arrive underdressed; shoes, jeans, a freaking soccer hoodie. Max warned her that they weren’t going to have much time. Driving to the Griffin’s farm on the other side of town took around twenty minutes, in order for her to sneak back into her room, it’d be another twenty. She’d have maybe an hour or so...just to be safe, that was all the time she needed. 

Z didn’t want much...just a dance with a pretty girl at prom. She had no idea what had happened, but she saw Tori sitting at a table, Sydney...comforting her, checking to see if she was okay. Tommy was sent off to get her some punch or some water. Antonio must’ve done  _ something  _ to ruin the surfer’s night. 

“You wanna dance?” Z motioned to the floor, a slow…. _ romantic song.  _ If anything was going to make her feelings clear to the surfer, it was the lead singer of Dino Thunder belting out an 80’s cover. She didn’t want to  _ talk _ or  _ lament _ her feelings, she didn’t have time for that. All she wanted was to live in a fantasy world, to take a break from the world being so damn heavy. 

_ You’re not alone with me here… _

Tori was the type of girl Z always admired, she didn’t wait and  _ think _ of some pros and cons list. She was always the act first and feel later, figure it out as she went. 

“So….” Tori started, unsure of how or what...any of this was...what it was  _ supposed _ to be.

“....We don’t have to put anything on this but a dance…” Z didn’t want Tori to feel any sort of pressure, “...A dance with a beautiful girl under the stars…” She wasn’t asking the softball player out on a date, or to be her girlfriend. She didn’t want to put pressure on the girl who was broken and torn down by her previous experiences. Blake, the married girl at the bar, and now whatever happened with Antonio? No. This wasn’t about  _ making a move.  _ All Z wanted was a dance.

“And here I thought you were cashing in on that favor” Z had seen Tori at a low point, multiple times. People would always try to mold her into what they wanted...Blake, Antonio treating her like a trophy date, but still here she was trying to stand back up after being knocked down again. This was  _ her _ magic night too,  “...Your mom’s not gonna be happy about this...”

“I don’t care” The soccer player shook her head, “You’re worth it, you’re worth the risk” Z didn’t want to spend time thinking about what would happen if her mother found out where she was, or worse the truth, that she liked girls, namely one Tori Hanson. This wasn’t a dream, she had her hands on the tall girls waist, leading her in this dance. 

“Ahhh” Tori glanced away, this whole night was a whirlwind for her. All she wanted was to have fun with a boy...no strings attached, only to be put into an unwanted spotlight. “...I’m a dumbass aren’t I?” 

“I wasn’t exactly the most forthcoming with all of this” It was clear that Z came to this dance to make a statement for herself, that she belonged here at this dance despite all of the barriers and roadblocks in her way. 

“Mmm” Tori’s world was slowing down, allowing her to catch her breath, “How long can you stay?” She didn’t want Z to go so soon...not when she  _ just _ got here.

“Not long…” She couldn’t risk being out, Z was supposed to be locked away in her room right now, doing homework and staying away from the gays.

Tori shook her head in disbelief, “You did all of this for just one dance?” 

“Who’s the dumbass now?” Z’s smile was wide, she carried herself so differently here with Tori than any other time Trini had seen her. “I’ve got about an hour” 

“Okay then” Tori’s spirits seemed to lift already, a smile had returned to her face. Z was a big question mark to the blonde, with boys...they were always predictable to Tori in what they wanted but Z… “Guess we better make it count” 

_ One hour. _

_ Sixty minutes. _

It wasn’t a lot of time, but leave it to Tori to try and stretch it out as much as possible. As the band was trying to get back onto stage and come off of their break, the tall softball player led Z to the photobooth by the hand. After being pulled down by Antonio, Tori wanted to  _ laugh _ and have freaking fun. Silly sunglasses, and signs with dumb little sayings on them. The taller girl picked Z up into her arms with incredible ease to smile for the camera, after their romantic dance she didn’t hesitate to reach for Z’s hand, or touch her sides. The soccer player made her feel completely at ease with herself, as if she were out on the water.

The two would return to the dance floor, where Tori would take Z’s hands and over dramatically twirl her around. What could have been an awful night for both of them became  _ lighter, fun.  _ If it weren’t for the combined efforts of Danny and Max, Z wouldn’t get this chance...have this memory of spending  _ one hour _ with the girl of her dreams. One hour that shined bright during her greyest of lows.

“You have to go soon...don’t you…?” Tori trailed off, by the amount of songs Kira and her band had gone through, it was easy to keep track of time. 

“I’m sorry but….I do….” It felt like such a  _ fantasy,  _ a dream even...for something,  _ anything _ to work out in Z’s favor. It pained her to have to say goodbye. What she would give to be able to go to Tori’s after party, dance longer with her best friends, be a  _ part _ of something bigger. Life didn’t care about wishes. She turned her head in the direction of the parking lot, Max Cooper would be ready to pick her up. “...Thank you….”

Tori reached out to hold Z’s arm, a relaxed smile on her face, “What? Delgado…” The surfer sighed, “Every time I feel down you’re...somehow there to pick me back up again” All this time she didn’t see someone who liked her for _her._ “This night could’ve really sucked...I’m glad you came”

“Me too…” Z couldn’t know what the future would hold for her...but she had this time, this hour. Tori surprised her by leaning forward, capturing her lips to punctuate the perfect evening with a kiss. This was  _ really happening.  _ Z daydreamed in the past of what it would be like to kiss the blonde, but that couldn’t compare to the reality of soft lips pressed against hers in a delicate goodbye. Z’s heart fluttered in her chest awakening a part of her that felt  _ so _ lost and closed off to the world,  _ joy.  _ Kissing Tori felt like cotton candy...so sweet...and so quick to disintegrate. Z had to go...she couldn’t risk… “See you around Hanson…”

“Right, yeah...catch you later Delgado”

Z had to high tail it out of there, to return home as if nothing had happened.

Funny thing about prom…all it took was one night, one hour to change  _ everything.  _

*****

Unknown Number  
  
Hey this is Tori...Syd gave me your number. I hope that was okay! Don’t be mad at her if it wasn’t. You can just ignore this. I just wanted to say I really had a good time last night and...texting at 3 in the morning’s dumb but I can’t get you out of my head. I hope this doesn’t wake you but...  


**Author's Note:**

> Lol for anyone keeping track of the baseball guys relevance...this is Carlos Vallertes first big speaking role in this universe haha.


End file.
